latest posts:

Event Recap - Advocating for Self: A Workshop

Event Overview

In the first event of the 2019 WIA event series, Megan Blaine, AIA and Angshupriya Pathak, AIA led a workshop that helped the participants build skills for articulating experience and advocating for themselves in the workplace. Megan and Angshupriya kicked off the event by presenting their own self advocacy journeys and explaining how these experiences have shaped their careers. Angshupriya outlined how advocating for herself allowed her to make the difficult decision to leave her job to pursue a position more aligned with her personal and professional goals, and Megan explained how her advocacy journey ultimately led her to start her own firm.

TIPS AND TRICKS

Both Megan and Angshupriya’s self-advocacy awakenings were heavily influenced by techniques that were eloquently articulated in excerpts from two TED Talks.

The first, from “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are,” by Amy Cuddy, emphasizes the importance of body language; specifically, “power posing.” Cuddy explains the importance of presenting yourself with confidence. To illustrate this point, she points to her observations of MBA students’ nonverbal body language. According to her research, the “alphas,” those students who place themselves in the middle, those who raise their hands high, and those who want to occupy the most space, seemed to be the most fearless and most present in the classroom. Those students who make themselves small, raise their hands only slightly to answer questions, and sit on the outskirts of the classroom, are less likely to participate. Cuddy connects this primal display of power to the gender gap with which business schools have been struggling for years.

The second TED talk, “Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders,” given by Sheryl Sandberg, considers why we have too few women leaders. One of the main ideas Sandberg identified that shaped Angshupriya’s professional journey is ‘sitting at the table’. Sitting at the table, rather than hovering at the fringe of a room, exudes confidence in oneself that is visible to the group. It is crucial to being integral to any discussion and being heard.

The other self-advocating practice that has become intrinsic to Angshupriya’s daily life is questioning the status quo. She encouraged the attendees to speak up for themselves rather than simmering with discontent. That might bring about radical change in a situation, or not. Whatever the outcome, they could then move on, knowing they have advocated for themselves.

So the messages are clear: Present yourself with confidence. Sit at the table. Question the status quo.

THE WORKSHOP

Megan and Angshupriya used these concepts to lead a workshop on building self-advocacy skills. Each participant was given a paper on which they were to articulate their biggest achievements and their biggest annual career goals. They were also reminded the group that because it is common knowledge that all achievements are accomplished by a team, each of us should be empowered to say that we achieved our goals.

The group was then instructed to put themselves in their own shoes exactly one year in the future and think about how they could present their achievements and goals to a client or a supervisor. The participants were consistently and supportively reminded to present themselves with confidence and to highlight their own experiences.

To conclude the exercise, the participants were broken up into four smaller groups and challenged to verbalize their achievements and goals. Many individuals took the perspective of presenting themselves to a superior and expressing how their experiences merit either a promotion, or simple recognition. The increased confidence and appreciation for each individual’s hard work was palpable.

LESSONS LEARNED

To conclude the workshop, the participants came together to discuss and list the main takeaways:

Confidently navigate your journey

Find your power

Accept/acknowledge compliments graciously

Talk about your journey to the accomplishment while saying thank you

Take credit where credit is due

Trust context while accepting praise and don’t overthink

CONCLUSION

“Advocating for Self: A Workshop” consisted of a presentation and time for personal reflection and group discussion. The audience included architects, designers, interior designers, and administrative staff, all interested in furthering their professional journeys and deepening their understanding of the importance of self-advocacy.